Necessary Evil
by Isabel Night
Summary: Anubis' thoughts and feelings after he gives up his partner, Jazalyn (Character from Partnership).


Necessary Evil  
Isabel Night  
  
Sometimes I wonder if the natural order of the universe is paying me back for all the crimes I've committed. It almost seems fitting that the feared Warlord of Cruelty, one of Master Talpa's most respected Warlords, is now being repaid for all his past crimes.  
For 400 years I tore innocent people away from loved ones. Now it seems, I'm being paid back by having the one I care about torn away from me. I remember taking Jazalyn under my wing; she was a fast learner, and I was very proud of her. She trained with me everyday at weapons practice, and I remember teaching her how to use a sword. After we trained we would go to the large Dynasty library and read books about ethics, ancient wisdom, and mythology. She was hungry for knowledge and read every book she could find. Sometimes I wondered why she is my partner instead of Halo's partner. One day, she picked up a book that contained the myth about the Partnership. When she started to ask questions, I felt she had a right to know.  
Jazalyn was very surprised to find out that she was a daughter of the Sun Goddess, but after she read more books about the history of Shinto, she understood why there were more daughters than sons in the family.  
We did many things together, and for the first time in my life, I didn't feel alone. Then the nightmares came. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming out her father's name. I tried to get her to talk to me about them, but she would always avoid me. I finally had to ask Sakura what these nightmares were about. Sakura told me that Jazalyn kept have the same nightmare over and over again. Her father is trying to protect her from me; he pulls out what the mortals call a "gun" and tries to shoot me. The bullets bounce off my armor and I raise my weapon high in the air. My sickle pierces her father's flesh, and he dies from the wound I have given him.  
Even though Jazalyn never told me about these nightmares, I knew that I would never kill her father. Yes, I was disappointed that he never trained her as a warrior, but that isn't something that he should die for.  
After I initiated Jazalyn as a full warrior, Sekhmet told me that Cale had found out about the Partnership. At first, I thought Cale wouldn't be stupid enough to rat on us, but when he threatened to tell, I had to make a choice. If I kept Jazalyn here, Talpa would hurt her or use her as a weapon against me. But if I let her go, then I would be lonely and empty inside. When Sekhmet confirmed Cale's threat, I knew I had to make the most heartbreaking choice in my 400 years; I had to let my partner go back to her friends.  
Leaving Jazalyn with her friends was not physically hard, but the mental strain was almost unbearable. One hour after I had given Jazalyn back to her friends, I went to the library to try to get my mind off the hurt and pain. When I found the book Jazalyn was reading, still lying on the table, I began to sob.  
For the first time in my life, I was alone. I hated the feeling, and I vowed revenge. I swore revenge on Torrent and Wildfire's partners, and I promised that they would suffer. They would suffer loneliness, pain, and heartbreak. They would suffer as I have suffered.  
Two hours later, I was emotionally drained. I was going back to my room, when I heard some commotion going on inside of Cale's room. When he still continued to threaten to tell Talpa, I blackmailed him.  
To make a long story short, it worked. Cale kept his mouth shut, and Jazalyn would not be in any specific danger. I know it was beneath me, but at that point, all I cared about was Jazalyn's safety. I tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't even close my eyes.  
I guess I have been paid back on what the mortals call "the scales of justice". But to me, this was only a painful, necessary evil.  
  
NOTES:  
1. According to early Japanese legends, the Sun Goddess was worshiped by an unmarrired princess in the Royal place. It was Princess Yamano who built the great shrine for the Sun Goddess at Ise. Before the arrival of Buddhism, women took an active part in religion. That is why there are four daughters and one son. The son will continue the family name, but the daughters are needed to carry out the religious aspects of the Sun Goddess's worship. 


End file.
